Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
6:32 pm Thursday, August 12, 2004

Excellence in Education

By Staff
August 12, 2004
Kimberly Griffin of Meridian is the recipient of the Mae Carroll Thornton Mother's Day scholarship at Meridian Community College. The $600 award is funded through the MCC Foundation.
Dr. William L. Thornton initiated this scholarship in 1993 as a way to honor his wife.
Griffin graduated from the Respiratory Care Practitioner Program in May 2004. A graduate of Leake Academy, she was a member of the Student Council and Students Against Drunk Drivers.
She also garnered first place in the State Health Occupation Students of America competition. Griffin is married and has 4-month-old daughter, Gracie. Her plans are to pursue a career in respiratory care.
Mary Kathryn Covert and Phillip Martin Swatzfager, both of Meridian, were named to the dean's list for the spring semester at Samford University.
Covert is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Frank Covert. Swatzfager is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Harrison Swartzfager.
Lindley Williams, a student at Poplar Springs Elementary, was recently awarded first place at the Mississippi State Department of Education's Reading Fair in Jackson. To compete at the state level, students must win first place at their school, district and regional levels. Williams was presented with a $50 savings bond and coupons for ice cream.
Megan Merenko of Daleville has been selected to receive the Meridian Exchange Club/Bo Russell Memorial Scholarship at Meridian Community College. She will be returning as the sophomore recipient.
Merenko has completed 29 hours at MCC with a 4.0 grade point average. She was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two- year college students. She was recently accepted into the Physical Therapist Assistant program at MCC.
Jared Benjamin Doner of Bailey was named one of the country's most outstanding campus leaders by Who's Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges. He was nominated by Meridian Community College.
The honor is awarded to students who display outstanding achievements in scholarly endeavors and who also participate and exercise leadership in extracurricular activities.
Over the past 38 years, the Who's Who program has honored and rewarded the individual scholastic excellence of outstanding campus leaders. This prestigious award is one of the greatest honors annually conferred by the American academic community.
Doner joins an elite group of students selected from institutions of higher learning throughout the United States. He is the son of Timothy and Janet Doner.

Also on Franklin County Times
Rural hospitals face challenges: New state tax credit could help
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 28, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Franklin County’s two hospitals face the same financial pressures confronting rural health care across Alabama even as they remain esse...
Phil Campbell gets ‘clean opinion’ on audit
Main, News, Phil Campbell, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 28, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Certified public accountant Don Wallace told town council members on Jan. 20 there were no problems with this year’s audit. “This is w...
MLK’s legacy: Blueprint we must follow
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 28, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Rev. Bennie “B.J.” Bonner stood before an audience gathered Jan. 19 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration March and described ho...
Elementary students begin Super Citizen program
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 28, 2026
Second and third graders from West Elementary and Russellville Elementary began Liberty Learning Foundation’s Super Citizen program during an event ki...
Book Lovers Study Club explores tea’s role in history
Columnists, News, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
January 28, 2026
Our Book Lovers Study Club’s January meeting highlighted both the Boston Tea Party boycott of English tea and the traditions of afternoon tea. One of ...
Moving from excuses to action in 1 year
Columnists, Opinion
January 28, 2026
In just 12 months, the Trump administration has delivered real results that Americans can see in their daily lives by restoring law and order at our b...
Higgins hired as RHS football coach
High School Sports, Russellville Golden Tigers, Sports
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 28, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Darrell Higgins has been hired as the new head football coach at Russellville High School. His hiring was announced Saturday following ...
Seal retires from CB&S after 31 years
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 28, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Following a 31-year career at CB&S Bank, Beverly Seal is now retired and looking forward to what comes next. While she’s still explorin...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *